Under Pressure
by calleighstorres
Summary: What if Ryan was never fired? AU. Contains spoilers. Altered events for "Burned" (5x22) and "Kill Switch" (5x23). Summaries inside.


**I don't own CSI MIAMI. You already knew that though. :)**

**AUTHORS NOTES - [ SORRY ITS KINDA SHORT.. or not.. lmao.. ] Set in Season 5, episode 5x23. Rewrite of 5x22 & 5x23 / No gambling storyline. Ryan left for a different reason and didn't give anyone any money because that basically makes an idiot of his character and originally, his character is known to be the by-the-book, smart one with a lot of attitude (sarcasm) and witty comebacks - constantly referred to as the ' new kid ' who struggles to fit in. Ryan is only one to get in trouble when his anger overpowers him because of his loyalty. I feel like the gambling storyline ruins his character basis and was given to him because he didn't have much before then. Gambling doesn't at all go with his character in my opinion. Okay, sorry for the rant- on with the story.**

**AU: After a controversial case, a team member unexpectedly leaves the team. (5x22) "Burned"**

**AU [2]: When the feds' cameraman is severely injured by a sand trap, the CSIs uncover the drugs being smuggled from Cuba; Calleigh confronts Ryan. (5x23) "Kill Switch"**

**^ Summary of what it's all about (altered episode events - 5x22 and 5x23)**

* * *

Ryan was sat in his chair playing with his tie. Sitting in this office, he had things to do. A team to watch out for. He was acting supervisory CSI after all. Leading forensics for a federal agency took a lot more than a pretty face. The FBI major crimes unit in Miami was looking into the murder of an FBI agent. Though he did miss it sometimes. Working for the county. His job was the retrieve the evidence to help the detectives find the killer. He was a scientist with a very highly respected opinion in his block.

"CSI Wolfe, someone is here to see you?"

He nodded. "Does she have a badge?" "Yes sir." Ryan told the receptionist to allow her through. After all his time being spent in the lab, he could use a visitor. Maybe a familiar face. It had been a while. And nobody really did make the effort to even see him. Hell, none of them even knew where he worked.

Wolfe stacked up his paperwork and slid it into his top drawer. Case reports. General stuff. Nobody knew he had his own office. That was because he had the most work and mostly just oversaw what happened. For a guy who wasn't even 30 yet, he had made a name for himself. An identity. Not necessarily what he had hoped for. He couldn't be too picky though. There wasn't a single person that didn't make a mistake somewhere in their life. His was his anger management.

"She's outside your door." Ryan was distracted from his thoughts by the notice from the lady in admin.

"COME IN!"

The visitor opened the door, her visitor badge swinging as she did so. It was the last person he had expected to see. Someone he hadn't talked to since the last case they worked on. But in his defense, she could've called. His number was on the back of a Polaroid he gave her. She was dressed in white, with a beige colored shirt and heels. Nothing short of her usual dress style. The woman looked upon him. He looked at her.

Ryan was wearing a dark grey suit, with a white dress shirt and a patterned pink tie. Not his usual, but it was feds dress code. Suits. Not that he ever really understood why. He'd just never asked his bosses about that. He was busy.

"Wow.. look at you!" She exclaimed as he stood up and came around to greet her.

He gave a flat smile in return. "Hey. What are you doing here?" Calleigh pursed her lips as she observed the office. Plain and neat. _Ryan in a nutshell. _She hadn't expected this much of an upgrade. He worked for the feds. In forensics. Which was not what she had thought of, being honest. She was sure he had a different job.

"I thought I'd come say hi. Heard about your new job through some nosey lab techs."

Ryan rolled his eyes in response. "Flattering." Calleigh just smiled. "Nice office." "It's only temporary. Supervisor is on emergency transfer and she picked me to be acting supervisor. Not much." She shook her head. After all this time, he's still unsure about calling anything a luxury. Shows how paranoid being shot makes you. Even when that period of time is over.

Calleigh wasn't really sure why she had decided to visit him like that. So.. out of the blue. Almost. They were working an old case that had been reopened. Everybody had agreed she was the best to talk to him under such confidential conditions. She almost didn't recognize him in a suit. He looked... older. His usually flat, brown hair was pushed up into spikes at the top. It was weird. Seeing a different version of him. A quieter, much more reserved Ryan Wolfe.

The younger man could tell she had more things she wanted to say. Questions she wanted to ask. And it was killing her. "Say whatever is bothering you. I can see it in your eyes." Duquesne was confused. In her eyes? There wasn't a way he could tell like that unless he'd been observing her and picked up some of her emotions that way. "I.. want to know why you left. So soon. It looks a little sketchy you leaving after a gambling case." "Bad timing, I know. But.. it doesn't matter."

He diverted his eyes away from hers. "No, you were going to say something.." "It doesn't matter anymore." He repeated, shaking his head as he pin pointed his gaze to the ground. The blonde frowned. Forget what was bothering her, whatever was bothering him was the reason he left CSI. She just wanted to know why. And what it was.

"Ryan, I need you to be honest with me. They all think you have a gambling problem!"

"And who is they? Delko? Boa Vista? Nosey co-workers? IAB?!"

His voice started to raise. The anger he had buried deep with his sorrow was arising. And it was not something he wanted Calleigh to witness. When he wasn't himself. When his anger issues completely put conscience to sleep. "I'm just trying to help! Our lab is getting scrutiny because of your abrupt exit!" She fired back, her voice also being raised.

The argument was bitter. "Because of me?!" One make a point, the other would argue against it. Like a real life debate, only a Ryan and Calleigh argument. It always got extremely heated. "Yes, you!" They were both very passionate people who brought out the best and worst in one another depending on their emotions.

"You know what.. you've made it **clear** this was just a task... talking to me so you could report back to everybody else! I left, temporarily. Because the pressure was getting to me! Is that what you want to everybody else about me? That I _CRACKED_ under pressure and failed! Because if that's what you want then here you are! An _explanation!"_

"Ryan. This was _NOT_ a task. I came here on my own terms, looking for my own answers. Though everyone else was just as worried for you." She sighed.

He stayed looking at the floor as he walked over to his desk and pulled out an envelope. It was a copy of his temporary leave documentation. Ryan handed it to her. "There." He sat on the edge of the desk and fiddled with his tie once again. "This is why I don't wear ties often." He muttered, thinking she didn't hear him. But she did, and it made her laugh. Ryan being Ryan. Wolfe being Wolfe. What a silly-billy.

She read the documentation word for word. Everything he said was true. "I'm sorry. I truly am. I shouldn't have assumed such an absurd thing. You'd never." "We're investigators, Cal.. it happens." He shrugged, standing up from the desk and venturing towards her again. The blonde handed the former CSI back his envelope. Ryan placed it on the desk, not really thinking much about it as his focus was on the woman standing in front of him.

"I better get going.. big case." The Ballistics expert went to leave, however, he stopped her.

"And Calleigh.." She turned to him. "I'll be back soon." He promised her. That caused a small smile to appear on her face. His too. "I look forward to seeing you back at CSI."

And just like that, she was gone again. Like she was never there at all. He sat down and slammed his fist on the desk. He was definitely going back to county CSI. The feds were intense.. however, things weren't done the way they were at MDPD CSI. Miami Dade Police was his roots. There wasn't a way he couldn't be known as 'Officer'. Ryan wanted to be back in the field. Working cases and doing his own investigations instead of just overseeing the collection of evidence which was handed over to the special agents. They pieced the evidence together. The forensics was to help back the case. That's why he preferred basing the cases off of forensics, physical evidence, as opposed to using theories first like the feds do. It wasn't to his liking. Period.

Wolfe hated arguing. But it came so naturally to him. Stating his point and battling other people's. To most of the people who knew him, he was stubborn and argumentative. And to others, he was just passionate about justice. Everybody all had their different opinions and there wasn't a single thing that could be done to shift opinions like that.

Ryan was going to face the pressure and not let it get to him when he returned. His biggest regret was letting it do so. If people worried, they would've said something. Not like they had though. Which did make him question her reasoning. Ryan didn't want to carry on the argument - so he left it alone. All that he needed to focus on was his return. And that's all he'd do for now.


End file.
